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Lost and Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace
The “right” homeschooling philosophy. The “right” brand of theology. The “right” meal-planning, home-managing, keep-it-all-together parenting. Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, had it all “right,” until it all fell apart. In the course of eighteen months, Kendra found her baby in a coma, ran over her five-year-old, and nearly lost her eight-year-old to a septic ruptured appendix. Lost and Found is the story of how God used those events to transform her family’s self-righteous religion into freedom in Christ.
Fletcher’s debut book is the gripping true story of how God used suffering to save her family from empty religion. As wave after wave of crisis hit, the Fletchers discovered that getting religion “right” wasn’t a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. Through their suffering, they learned about misplaced identities and false hope, and they threw themselves wholly into the arms of Jesus—where they found the grace they needed.
Fletcher, a well-known writer and conference speaker in Christian homeschooling circles, addresses the quiet legalism that so easily infiltrates Christian communities and exposes the dangers of focusing our hopes on the “right” ways of worship, work, and family life. More than a memoir, Lost and Found invites all of us to give up the things that hold us in bondage and find our value, worth, significance, hope, and identity in Christ alone.
Fletcher’s debut book is the gripping true story of how God used suffering to save her family from empty religion. As wave after wave of crisis hit, the Fletchers discovered that getting religion “right” wasn’t a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. Through their suffering, they learned about misplaced identities and false hope, and they threw themselves wholly into the arms of Jesus—where they found the grace they needed.
Fletcher, a well-known writer and conference speaker in Christian homeschooling circles, addresses the quiet legalism that so easily infiltrates Christian communities and exposes the dangers of focusing our hopes on the “right” ways of worship, work, and family life. More than a memoir, Lost and Found invites all of us to give up the things that hold us in bondage and find our value, worth, significance, hope, and identity in Christ alone.
- GenresChristian Living
114 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2017
3 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Kendra Fletcher
6 books84 followersKendra Fletcher is a mother of 8, speaker, author, and podcaster. She is the author of Lost and Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace, and Leaving Legalism, and she regularly writes for Key Life Ministries. The Fletchers reside in California, where they play in the Pacific Ocean as often as possible.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 27, 2017
Lost And Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace by Kendra Fletcher is a powerful little book exploring the difference between religion and relationship.
Religion presents us with rules. We try to work out our salvation. We focus so much on ourselves and our 'doing' that we lose sight of God. "We loved our religion... more than we loved our Saviour."
Relationship says it's all about Jesus. It's all about what Jesus has done. Our hope, our lives, everything is tied up in Jesus. He is the centre. "Only one thing matters: Jesus."
Kendra Fletcher shows how easy it is to lose sight of Jesus in our busy lives. "We lost our way because our way was paved by our own works." We become self sufficient and it takes a crisis (or several) for us to realise - if Jesus is all you have, you have all you need. There is no one else you can call on.
The big question is... where is your identity? If it is tied up in anything but Jesus, it is in the wrong place.
As Christians we need to offer the world hope and not a list of rules and regulations.
Lost And Found was a very powerful, very honest account by Kendra Fletcher of a time of crisis and discovery. Thank you Kendra for sharing.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Religion presents us with rules. We try to work out our salvation. We focus so much on ourselves and our 'doing' that we lose sight of God. "We loved our religion... more than we loved our Saviour."
Relationship says it's all about Jesus. It's all about what Jesus has done. Our hope, our lives, everything is tied up in Jesus. He is the centre. "Only one thing matters: Jesus."
Kendra Fletcher shows how easy it is to lose sight of Jesus in our busy lives. "We lost our way because our way was paved by our own works." We become self sufficient and it takes a crisis (or several) for us to realise - if Jesus is all you have, you have all you need. There is no one else you can call on.
The big question is... where is your identity? If it is tied up in anything but Jesus, it is in the wrong place.
As Christians we need to offer the world hope and not a list of rules and regulations.
Lost And Found was a very powerful, very honest account by Kendra Fletcher of a time of crisis and discovery. Thank you Kendra for sharing.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
March 27, 2017
Lost and Found by Kendra Fletcher is a story of losing your religion and finding Grace. Learning to cope and deal with the major events that have happened in your life and move forward. A moving story that will bring you to tears. I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion. 4 stars!
March 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, as well as the author's writing. This book examines the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus. One of the quotes early on in the book, "We loved out religion, more than we loved our savior", was something that really made sense to me and I think a lot of Christians can probably relate to. Fletcher starts out the book by explaining some of the tragedies that occurred in her family, that helped both Fletcher and her husband see that they needed to make a spiritual change. She mentions in the book, "Sometimes it takes a crisis, or several, for to realize, if Jesus is all you have, you have all you need", which again, I could really personally relate to, as I think a lot of other Christians can as well. One of the other major themes of this book is learning how to deal with major events, such as the ones that happened to the Fletcher family and be able to move forward with your life and even making it better through that process. The author takes you through the crises that happened to her family, the struggle that came along with it and the lessons that they learned along the way. I really enjoyed this book and think it is something that many Christians can benefit from reading. I think many of us get lost in our religion along the way, without even realizing that it's happening. We focus on how to make everything "right", as the book's synopsis talks about and forget that we should be focusing our energy on our relationship with our Savior. Overall, a very good book about a very important topics, filled with personal stories and lessons from the author.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book.
April 30, 2025
I can relate to some of the phases of growing your faith through the process of parenting. As parents wrestle through the challenges of raising a family, they will likely encounter incongruities between their preconceptions about life and harsh realities. In this book the harsh realities of injury and illness bring these parents to admit that their system of religious rules brings no satisfaction or peace. Instead they embark on a journey of expounding the significance of the gospel in their own lives, and how the gospel liberates them from carrying the weight and responsibility for outcomes beyond their control. Rather than performing a religious system to gain favor with God, favor with God is anchored firmly in Christ who indwells them.
While all of the above extractions from this book are true, one pitfall of this book is that the ambiguous terminology of "Identity in Christ" might become the catch-all psychological band-aid for every human failure. "Identity in Christ" might become a mere platitude to excuse us from every sense of responsibility towards our families and society. There is a far cry from the extreme opposites of "I'm a lousy parent, but Jesus loves me..." and I Timothy 5:8. This is where the book could improve the most: By getting more precise around this terminology of "Identity in Christ" and its application to Christian responsibility.
(Some thinkers might balk at the term "Identity in Christ" from the outset: https://americanreformer.org/2022/02/...)
While all of the above extractions from this book are true, one pitfall of this book is that the ambiguous terminology of "Identity in Christ" might become the catch-all psychological band-aid for every human failure. "Identity in Christ" might become a mere platitude to excuse us from every sense of responsibility towards our families and society. There is a far cry from the extreme opposites of "I'm a lousy parent, but Jesus loves me..." and I Timothy 5:8. This is where the book could improve the most: By getting more precise around this terminology of "Identity in Christ" and its application to Christian responsibility.
(Some thinkers might balk at the term "Identity in Christ" from the outset: https://americanreformer.org/2022/02/...)
March 15, 2017
About the Book:
What happens when you lose your religion? Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, took pride in having it all together the right schooling, the right theology, the right church. Everything was right. Then it all fell apart. Three of their children were taken to the brink of death in a period of eighteen months.
As wave after wave of crisis hit their family, they learned that getting religion right wasn't a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. As they learned about their misplaced identities and false hope, they found that religion couldn't save them only Jesus. Only Jesus gives the grace we need to survive and thrive. Only in Jesus will our lives overflow with his grace, love, and mercy spilling out over our families like the life-giving good news it is meant to be.
My Review:
I'm going to tell you right now, you never know what God is protecting you from and you don't know what He will happen in your life. You will be happily moving along living life and then all of a sudden, your life is turned upside down. You won't see it coming and you won't understand why it is happening. But what is so great about having a Savior is that He does know all the answers to your questions. He does so we don;t have to. Isn't that amazing?
Kendra Fletcher and her family know this all too well. They know what its like to happily be living life and...BOOM..life is interrupted. They say that God allows these things so that we will cling ever tightly to Him. Having gone through a lot in life myself, I would have to say that this is so dead on. Love will come through sacrifice and pain. We experience this through the growing and the stretching that He allows us to go through and in the midst of the pain and sacrifice we grow closer to Him.
Kendra thought, believed, and lived that as long as she did everything "right" than God had her back. She wouldn't go through "stuff", especially the bad stuff. But she learned very quickly that this is the wrong way to look at life and God was determined to show her this error in judgement even if it was through pain and sacrifice. Because to God this is worth it if it brings us closer to Him.
Kendra takes you through the fight, the struggle, and the lessons she and her family learned. she shows you how to fight and win and get to the other side. An amazing lesson in all things God!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
What happens when you lose your religion? Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, took pride in having it all together the right schooling, the right theology, the right church. Everything was right. Then it all fell apart. Three of their children were taken to the brink of death in a period of eighteen months.
As wave after wave of crisis hit their family, they learned that getting religion right wasn't a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. As they learned about their misplaced identities and false hope, they found that religion couldn't save them only Jesus. Only Jesus gives the grace we need to survive and thrive. Only in Jesus will our lives overflow with his grace, love, and mercy spilling out over our families like the life-giving good news it is meant to be.
My Review:
I'm going to tell you right now, you never know what God is protecting you from and you don't know what He will happen in your life. You will be happily moving along living life and then all of a sudden, your life is turned upside down. You won't see it coming and you won't understand why it is happening. But what is so great about having a Savior is that He does know all the answers to your questions. He does so we don;t have to. Isn't that amazing?
Kendra Fletcher and her family know this all too well. They know what its like to happily be living life and...BOOM..life is interrupted. They say that God allows these things so that we will cling ever tightly to Him. Having gone through a lot in life myself, I would have to say that this is so dead on. Love will come through sacrifice and pain. We experience this through the growing and the stretching that He allows us to go through and in the midst of the pain and sacrifice we grow closer to Him.
Kendra thought, believed, and lived that as long as she did everything "right" than God had her back. She wouldn't go through "stuff", especially the bad stuff. But she learned very quickly that this is the wrong way to look at life and God was determined to show her this error in judgement even if it was through pain and sacrifice. Because to God this is worth it if it brings us closer to Him.
Kendra takes you through the fight, the struggle, and the lessons she and her family learned. she shows you how to fight and win and get to the other side. An amazing lesson in all things God!
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
January 18, 2018
Kendra Fletcher was gliding right along in her cozy life of family, work and religion when her world started to fall apart. In the space of 18 months she accidently ran over one of her children and two others became deathly ill. Little did she know she was about to lose her religion and find her God. This is a book about grace and remembering who is really in control. (hint: it's NOT us). She learned to trust her Lord and not in the life she was living or the people who surrounded her. Our identities lie only in Jesus, even when things don't work out as we'd like them. Instead of being bound by the law, we should constantly experience the freedom that is grace. As one of her friends put it, "..but the older I get, the more I understand that the law never motivates us to do anything, does it? Only the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus truly change us." We often lose our way trying to live "the life". Sometimes it takes being broken to experience Jesus. "God is in the business of rebuilding and restoring broken lives. However we lose our way, we are never so lost that God cannot find us and restore us to himself." Amen.
March 21, 2017
Fletcher has done a good job of creating a memoir that shows how God used thee events in her life to transform her self-righteous religion into freedom in Christ. Fletcher and her husband had started a church in their living room. It had become, over the years, a church permeated with pride in their correct Reformed theology and their correct homeschooling answer to the influence of society. But when they found themselves in the midst of crisis, Fletcher and her husband realized their correct theology and practice was not the same as having a relationship with a loving God.
This book is a memoir much more so than one containing teaching. Fletcher shares her own experiences and thoughts about them. She reveals how she came to recognize the legalism in their fellowship, such as focusing on the correct way to worship. She and her husband decided to break away from that community, ultimately finding their identity and hope in Christ alone.
I recommend this memoir to those who have been caught up in a Christian fellowship that has become legalistic. Fletcher's story is an encouragement to identify where we might be in bondage and then lean on Jesus to find grace.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Litfuse. My comments are an independent and honest review.
This book is a memoir much more so than one containing teaching. Fletcher shares her own experiences and thoughts about them. She reveals how she came to recognize the legalism in their fellowship, such as focusing on the correct way to worship. She and her husband decided to break away from that community, ultimately finding their identity and hope in Christ alone.
I recommend this memoir to those who have been caught up in a Christian fellowship that has become legalistic. Fletcher's story is an encouragement to identify where we might be in bondage and then lean on Jesus to find grace.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Litfuse. My comments are an independent and honest review.
March 24, 2017
We've all been in situations where we ask God, "Why? Why me? When will it stop? How much more can I take?" This book is for every time I, or you, or we, ask that question.
Kendra Fletcher shares her story eloquently and gracefully in Lost and Found. I read the book in just a few sittings; her story gripped me immediately and wouldn't let me go until I was done.
I felt like I wasn't just reading a book, that I was literally sitting next to her with a cup of coffee as she shared her gut-wrenching story. Lost and Found - and Kendra - are approachable, relatable, and above all encouraging in the face of incredible challenges.
I do wish we knew more of what happened next, but it hasn't yet been written (literally or figuratively)!
Highly recommended book.
Kendra Fletcher shares her story eloquently and gracefully in Lost and Found. I read the book in just a few sittings; her story gripped me immediately and wouldn't let me go until I was done.
I felt like I wasn't just reading a book, that I was literally sitting next to her with a cup of coffee as she shared her gut-wrenching story. Lost and Found - and Kendra - are approachable, relatable, and above all encouraging in the face of incredible challenges.
I do wish we knew more of what happened next, but it hasn't yet been written (literally or figuratively)!
Highly recommended book.
December 4, 2017
Kendra writes candidly and honestly about finding freedom in Jesus and loosening from the grips and comfort of religiosity.
So often our hearts can harden toward God while, or after we've gone through something really hard.
Hardship is exhausting, and can also leave us vulnerable to being sucked under by the "why me" syndrome.
Kendra shares how heeding the nudges of the Holy Spirit through hardship brought them closer to grace & freedom in Christ.
I recommend this book for any self-doubting (aren't we all??) mothers and/or anyone who is familiar with life's unending challenges.
So often our hearts can harden toward God while, or after we've gone through something really hard.
Hardship is exhausting, and can also leave us vulnerable to being sucked under by the "why me" syndrome.
Kendra shares how heeding the nudges of the Holy Spirit through hardship brought them closer to grace & freedom in Christ.
I recommend this book for any self-doubting (aren't we all??) mothers and/or anyone who is familiar with life's unending challenges.
March 22, 2017
This story was an amazing read. I really loved the message that the author gives us in this book. A very touching story that all Christian’s should read. It will remind you that God is always with you through the hard times and easy times. He is all we need.
A beautiful well written story that I am sure to read over and over again. Highly recommend to my Christian Readers. I was hooked from the start.
I received a ARC of this book from Litfuse to give a honest review. All reviews are 100% My own.
A beautiful well written story that I am sure to read over and over again. Highly recommend to my Christian Readers. I was hooked from the start.
I received a ARC of this book from Litfuse to give a honest review. All reviews are 100% My own.
May 8, 2017
I loved the storytelling in this book. Kendra Fletcher poured out her heart in telling of how God brought her closer to Himself through trial after trial. This book definitely pointed me to Jesus on every page! I'm buying one to give my Mom on Mother's Day. I think she will really resonate with this one :)
March 16, 2018
Short, enlightening read about how God brings trials into our lives to force us to address blind spots or sin that we want to ignore. It's helpful to those who are struggling with "why me?" and points to the bigger purpose and beauty of submitting to God's plan for our lives, even when we wouldn't have chosen it for ourselves.
December 2, 2020
This book felt more like an opportunity to get the trauma of three of her children being sick and injured off her chest. She had some good points, our identity is in Christ alone and we shouldn’t “hope shift” to other things. But I felt like she might have thrown out the baby with the bath water on some of the beliefs she left behind when her family left the legalistic church they were part of.
February 3, 2022
I love the stories of God
I loved Kendra’s description of lost and found. Some great stories that God has fashioned in their lives. She is a marvelous writer and I read the book enthusiastically turning the pages. It also is a summation of my life: I didn’t know I was lost until I was found.
I loved Kendra’s description of lost and found. Some great stories that God has fashioned in their lives. She is a marvelous writer and I read the book enthusiastically turning the pages. It also is a summation of my life: I didn’t know I was lost until I was found.
October 1, 2017
Great book
What an encouragment to me. Helped me take a look at my own life, to evaluate where I am not living the Gospel. The true story draws the reader in.
What an encouragment to me. Helped me take a look at my own life, to evaluate where I am not living the Gospel. The true story draws the reader in.
October 20, 2017
This is the story of our life.
November 1, 2017
Great book! Well told stories that really paint a picture of life's tragedies and where God brought them afterwards.
January 1, 2019
This was another second read for me. I appreciated her testimony of God’s faithfulness and grace
March 17, 2017
Compelling story, but could be better drawn out.
February 12, 2017
This short but sweet story of Kendra's reliance on the Lord during some unrelenting trials was just what my weary soul needed. I devoured it in a day. Her heart for Jesus shines through, and her passion for sharing grace with others is so healing.
March 28, 2017
Recently, I had the honor of reviewing Lost and Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace written by Kendra Fletcher and published by New Growth Press. This is a book that looks at the raw pain in life and shows how God is substantially present in the struggles offering His grace, mercy, and peace not because we deserve it but because its who He is and what He does. Furthermore, it is about finding our identity in Jesus and our personal relationship with Him. His being in us and working through us and not on our own works is what is important. God and Jesus are all that matters. Not man's laws. Not theology. God, Jesus and our personal relationship with them is what truly matters. If we lose sight of this, we get off-course and become lost. We can think we're doing everything right and still be lost. Yet, there is hope. God created us for a personal, intimate, love relationship with Him. When we grasp hold of His grace and mercy with both hands we can find our way again.
Lost and Found is a must read for anyone who has ever lost their way. If you find yourself wondering why am I enduring this hardship, then you should pick up a copy of Kendra's book. If you long for a closer relationship with your Savior, then I strongly encourage you to read Lost and Found.
Lost and Found is a must read for anyone who has ever lost their way. If you find yourself wondering why am I enduring this hardship, then you should pick up a copy of Kendra's book. If you long for a closer relationship with your Savior, then I strongly encourage you to read Lost and Found.
April 4, 2017
I found this book compelling and eye opening. It made me take a hard look at my own "rules and regulations" of Christianity and had me examining my relationship with Jesus in a good way.
I could relate to Kendra's life in a lot of ways. As a former homeschooling Mom (I graduated my two children), I remember well how easy it was to fall into the rules of do's and don'ts associated with homeschooling. For us, it was still a great choice, but it definitely brought about a more legalistic walk with the Lord for our family and other families in our group.
Kendra shares a very difficult period of her life when she has one traumatic experience after another. It's while she is going through one such experience that she has a light-bulb moment of clarity about her own walk with the Lord. She realizes that they have not been living with Jesus as their Savior. As she said, they were arguing the minute theologies of Christianity rather than living in His grace.
In difficult situations or traumas of life, Kendra points out that there is no substitution for a real relationship with Jesus. You can try and be the best you that you can be, but without Jesus in the center of that, it means you're trying to work everything out yourself instead of having the true faith that carries us through even the hardest of circumstances.
This book was a quick read and yet it is faith changing. I loved how open and honest she was and really feel like she became a good friend by the end of the book. This is an excellent book and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group
I could relate to Kendra's life in a lot of ways. As a former homeschooling Mom (I graduated my two children), I remember well how easy it was to fall into the rules of do's and don'ts associated with homeschooling. For us, it was still a great choice, but it definitely brought about a more legalistic walk with the Lord for our family and other families in our group.
Kendra shares a very difficult period of her life when she has one traumatic experience after another. It's while she is going through one such experience that she has a light-bulb moment of clarity about her own walk with the Lord. She realizes that they have not been living with Jesus as their Savior. As she said, they were arguing the minute theologies of Christianity rather than living in His grace.
In difficult situations or traumas of life, Kendra points out that there is no substitution for a real relationship with Jesus. You can try and be the best you that you can be, but without Jesus in the center of that, it means you're trying to work everything out yourself instead of having the true faith that carries us through even the hardest of circumstances.
This book was a quick read and yet it is faith changing. I loved how open and honest she was and really feel like she became a good friend by the end of the book. This is an excellent book and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group
April 4, 2017
I first picked up Lost And Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace by Kendra Fletcher because I had to read this crazy story: a homeschooling mom of 8 who has three different children have three different life-threatening crises back to back. It sounded unbelievable! However, this book really isn't about her children and their medical crises. It's really about legalism and how this Pharisaical attitude has crept into many of our churches and Christian circles. The back cover says:
"The "right" homeschooling philosophy. The right brand of theology. The "right" meal-planning, home-managing, keep-it-all-together parenting. Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, had it all "right," until it all fell apart. In the course of eighteen months, Kendra found her baby in a coma, ran over her five-year-old, and nearly lost her eight-year-old to a septic ruptured appendix. Lost and Found is the story of how God used those events to transform her family s self-righteous religion into freedom in Christ. Fletcher's debut book is the gripping true story of how God used suffering to save her family from empty religion. As wave after wave of crisis hit, the Fletchers discovered that getting religion "right" wasn't a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. Through their suffering, they learned about misplaced identities and false hope, and they threw themselves wholly into the arms of Jesus where they found the grace they needed. Fletcher, a well-known writer and conference speaker in Christian homeschooling circles, addresses the quiet legalism that so easily infiltrates Christian communities and exposes the dangers of focusing our hopes on the "right" ways of worship, work, and family life. More than a memoir, Lost and Found invites all of us to give up the things that hold us in bondage and find our value, worth, significance, hope, and identity in Christ alone."
When I downloaded Lost And Found to my Kindle, I figured I'd sit down and read the first chapter just to get an idea of how the book starts. Two hours later, I was scrolling through the last page! I just couldn't stop reading. I could relate so much to Kendra's life. I used to homeschool and I tend to ascribe to the patriarchal mindset and conservative dress standards, although I went through a period of time where I was MUCH more strict with all of the above. I could see myself in so much of her story and I used to be extremely legalistic about certain issues. I still can tend toward legalism, but I recognize it in myself much more now than I used to. I loved Kendra's honest writing style and willingness to open up her life and expose areas she's embarrassed about and share incidents that she now cringes at. I love authors who don't pretend to be perfect and really bring you into their life, no holds barred. This is a must-read for every Christian woman today. I've seen obvious signs of legalism in certain popular Christian circles, and even in my own church, and it can be difficult to root them out. However, this book really opened my eyes and helped me see certain sins and biases in my own heart and life as well. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
"The "right" homeschooling philosophy. The right brand of theology. The "right" meal-planning, home-managing, keep-it-all-together parenting. Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, had it all "right," until it all fell apart. In the course of eighteen months, Kendra found her baby in a coma, ran over her five-year-old, and nearly lost her eight-year-old to a septic ruptured appendix. Lost and Found is the story of how God used those events to transform her family s self-righteous religion into freedom in Christ. Fletcher's debut book is the gripping true story of how God used suffering to save her family from empty religion. As wave after wave of crisis hit, the Fletchers discovered that getting religion "right" wasn't a good substitute for a living relationship with a loving God. Through their suffering, they learned about misplaced identities and false hope, and they threw themselves wholly into the arms of Jesus where they found the grace they needed. Fletcher, a well-known writer and conference speaker in Christian homeschooling circles, addresses the quiet legalism that so easily infiltrates Christian communities and exposes the dangers of focusing our hopes on the "right" ways of worship, work, and family life. More than a memoir, Lost and Found invites all of us to give up the things that hold us in bondage and find our value, worth, significance, hope, and identity in Christ alone."
When I downloaded Lost And Found to my Kindle, I figured I'd sit down and read the first chapter just to get an idea of how the book starts. Two hours later, I was scrolling through the last page! I just couldn't stop reading. I could relate so much to Kendra's life. I used to homeschool and I tend to ascribe to the patriarchal mindset and conservative dress standards, although I went through a period of time where I was MUCH more strict with all of the above. I could see myself in so much of her story and I used to be extremely legalistic about certain issues. I still can tend toward legalism, but I recognize it in myself much more now than I used to. I loved Kendra's honest writing style and willingness to open up her life and expose areas she's embarrassed about and share incidents that she now cringes at. I love authors who don't pretend to be perfect and really bring you into their life, no holds barred. This is a must-read for every Christian woman today. I've seen obvious signs of legalism in certain popular Christian circles, and even in my own church, and it can be difficult to root them out. However, this book really opened my eyes and helped me see certain sins and biases in my own heart and life as well. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
April 4, 2017
"Lost and Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace" By Kendra Fletcher looks at the pain of life and shows us how the Lord is significant.
If you feel you have lost your way, wonder why you endure hard times...then you will want to grab a copy of this book.
*Disclaimer*
I received a copy of this book free to review. I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this book.
If you feel you have lost your way, wonder why you endure hard times...then you will want to grab a copy of this book.
*Disclaimer*
I received a copy of this book free to review. I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this book.
April 8, 2017
Lost and Found provided a fascinating insight into one woman’s disturbing experiences within the US purity culture and homeschool movement. It shows how Jesus can be lost in a church bubble where doing things “right” is the most important thing, where grace was forgotten in the quest for performance. As she says:
It’s easier to follow a checklist and check off all the correct boxes than to listen to the gentle, faithful leading of the Holy Spirit.
But something was missing for me. The book description promised to show me *how* God used these events. I couldn’t see the how. I saw the what—the almost unbelievable (and ungodly) control present in her previous church, and the three health crises.
I saw the result, but I don’t see how she got from A to B. How did God speak to her? What caused her to change her view? How can others in similar situations use her experiences to get closer to God, to understand our freedom in Christ? We can’t imitate her journey—no one in their right minds is going to recommend running over a five-year-old as a way to get right with God.
Despite these gaps, Lost and Found was a fascinating read, and shared a message many Christians need to hear. I don’t live in the US, and Lost and Found highlighted theological superiority issues within the US church that may well have always been there, but which the omnipresence of social media now highlight for us all to see.
It seems to me that a lot of these views and actions are the opposite of a good Christian witness—as Kendra Fletcher illustrates so well. This book should be read as a challenge to the US church to focus on obedience to Jesus rather than on internal differences over theological trivialities.
Thanks to New Growth Press, Litfuse Publicity and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. Which is ironic: I reviewed an electronic copy, but there doesn't appear to be an ebook version on sale.
It’s easier to follow a checklist and check off all the correct boxes than to listen to the gentle, faithful leading of the Holy Spirit.
But something was missing for me. The book description promised to show me *how* God used these events. I couldn’t see the how. I saw the what—the almost unbelievable (and ungodly) control present in her previous church, and the three health crises.
I saw the result, but I don’t see how she got from A to B. How did God speak to her? What caused her to change her view? How can others in similar situations use her experiences to get closer to God, to understand our freedom in Christ? We can’t imitate her journey—no one in their right minds is going to recommend running over a five-year-old as a way to get right with God.
Despite these gaps, Lost and Found was a fascinating read, and shared a message many Christians need to hear. I don’t live in the US, and Lost and Found highlighted theological superiority issues within the US church that may well have always been there, but which the omnipresence of social media now highlight for us all to see.
It seems to me that a lot of these views and actions are the opposite of a good Christian witness—as Kendra Fletcher illustrates so well. This book should be read as a challenge to the US church to focus on obedience to Jesus rather than on internal differences over theological trivialities.
Thanks to New Growth Press, Litfuse Publicity and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. Which is ironic: I reviewed an electronic copy, but there doesn't appear to be an ebook version on sale.
January 2, 2018
I have really mixed feelings about this book. I became familiar with Kendra and her story a couple of years ago at a homeschool convention and was really excited to read her book. Part of what surprised me was that the book was almost solely about the 18 months of crazy she and her family experienced that allowed them to "lose their religion" and fall in love with the Gospel again.
I'm not sure if my own brain is in a fog, or what, but I had a lot of trouble trying to follow along with the lost and found part. I am DEFINITELY going to read this a second (maybe even a third) time. There are definitely some great truths in the book. And I certainly am thinking about the various idols I've allowed in my own life, which I'm sure was one of Kendra's goals in writing - to make the reader aware of the idols we place our hope in rather than trusting Jesus.
I'm not sure if my own brain is in a fog, or what, but I had a lot of trouble trying to follow along with the lost and found part. I am DEFINITELY going to read this a second (maybe even a third) time. There are definitely some great truths in the book. And I certainly am thinking about the various idols I've allowed in my own life, which I'm sure was one of Kendra's goals in writing - to make the reader aware of the idols we place our hope in rather than trusting Jesus.
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